Conditions: Temp 14 degrees, slight wind, snowing
The cheeks were definitely chillin' on the 72 hardy souls who completed the first event in the 2005/06 Chilly Cheeks Duathlon Series, held on December 17th at Denver's Cherry Creek State Park.
The Chilly Cheeks Duathlon Series is now in it's 3rd season, and provides Colorado multisport racers with 3 low-key run/bike events throughout the winter months. Each race features approximately 4 miles of road and trail running, and a paved bike ride of approximately 10 miles. The format of the races varies each month.
By the 10:00 AM start time, temperatures had risen to a balmy 14 degrees and an inch of granular snow had already dusted the course. Perfect conditions for a 4 mile road and trail run, followed by a 10.8 mile bike ride. The only question was road or mountain bike? For Denver's Doug!! Smith, a veteran Chilly Cheeks competitor, the answer was simple - racing bike, disc wheel.
The Chilly Cheeks series offers two categories - Fat Tire, and Open. Fat Tire participants must ride a mountain bike, while Open participants can choose their bike based on weather conditions. Your choice in the first race, however, determines your category for the series point standings.
Transitions from run to bike were noticeably slow as runners threw on layers of cold-weather gear to protect them from the elements on the bike portion of the race. A light breeze was blowing off the lake, and an icy snow was continuing to fall.
Centennial's Andy Palmer had to be thinking back to last year's race as he approached the finish line -- for two reasons. On one hand, conditions couldn't have been more different. In fact, the temperature was some 50 degrees colder this year.
On the other hand, Palmer crossed the finish line a heartbreaking 9 seconds behind the winner. This year, he finished just 8 seconds behind first time Chilly Cheeks winner Mark Lowe, of Wheat Ridge.
The women's competition was equally close as Fat Tire winner Jacqui Pesa crossed the line just 9 seconds ahead of Open winner Julia Purrington which sparks the debate - in weather like this, which type of bike is faster?
In typical Chilly Cheeks fashion, door prizes from Hammer Nutrition, Excel Sports, Dondero Chiropractic, La Sportiva, and GoLite were handed to random finishers as they crossed the line - allowing them to grab some post-race food and jump into a warm car!!!
The next event in the series takes place on Saturday January 21st and uses a unique run/bike/run/bike format, finishing with a 50 meter dash to the finish line. The race uses two separate transition areas, and part of the fun is devising a system for carrying running shoes on the bike (if you choose to switch shoes) since no staging of gear is allowed at the second transition prior to the race.
*FT=Fat Tire Division (must ride a MTB)
*Open=Any Bike is acceptable (choose based on weather)
**For series standings, ages are calculated based on 01/01/06
Place Name City St Age S Sp Time
===== =================== ================== == === = == =======
1 Lowe Mark Wheat Ridge CO 31 M 54:50
2 Palmer Andy Centennial CO 33 M 54:58
3 Krombein Brian Highlands Ranch CO 33 M 57:12
4 Minett Everet Eagle CO 20 M 1:00:39
5 Campbell James Aurora CO 35 M FT 1:01:21
6 Smith Neil Louisville CO 31 M FT 1:02:13
7 Dillard Mark Englewood CO 39 M 1:02:23
8 Oliver Edward Littleton CO 36 M FT 1:02:33
9 Brady Marcus Littleton CO 28 M FT 1:03:49
10 Price Chris Denver CO 35 M 1:03:58
11 Gavach Mark Boulder CO 42 M FT 1:06:34
12 Welsh Kevin Aurora CO 38 M 1:07:03
13 Tanner Gregory Denver CO 37 M FT 1:07:30
14 Newcomer David Aurora CO 34 M 1:07:36
15 Sprafke Andrew Lakewood CO 29 M 1:08:15
16 Churgovich Ray Broomfield CO 40 M FT 1:08:28
17 Gensler Tim Greenwood Village CO 38 M 1:08:51
18 Smith Doug!! Denver CO 39 M 1:09:20
19 Schimpf Peter Louisville CO 32 M 1:09:27
20 Kelble David Denver CO 48 M FT 1:09:42
21 Brooks Marcus Lone Tree CO 34 M 1:09:56
22 Cooper Matt Aurora CO 34 M FT 1:10:18
23 hart john greenwood village CO 53 M FT 1:10:36
24 Dondero Darren Littleton CO 35 M 1:10:45
25 Wasserman Michael Englewood CO 46 M 1:11:18
26 Ricker Timothy Boulder CO 29 M 1:11:52
27 Lamm Matt Parker CO 32 M FT 1:11:59
28 Eves Roderick Conifer CO 42 M 1:12:08
29 Majors Paul Denver CO 34 M 1:12:10
30 Moreland Mike Morrison CO 37 M FT 1:12:53
31 Thomas Paul Littleton CO 53 M FT 1:13:09
32 Pesa Jacqui Superior CO 39 F FT 1:13:15
33 Stedeford Sean Arvada CO 25 M 1:13:21
34 Purrington Julia Pine CO 30 F 1:13:24
35 Lancaster Gary Highlands Ranch CO 38 M 1:13:43
36 Hart Erica Denver CO 20 F FT 1:13:55
37 Swanson Erik Aurora CO 37 M 1:14:36
38 McNair Bryan Ft. Collins CO 27 M 1:15:04
39 Hood Richard Denver CO 32 M 1:15:08
40 Haywood Don Ft. Collins CO 57 M 1:15:22
41 Tebbe Jana Denver CO 32 F 1:15:40
42 Wagner Gary Fort Collins CO 35 M 1:15:52
43 Garner Kathryn Denver CO 23 F 1:17:02
44 Ridgway Diane Arvada CO 56 F 1:17:22
45 Savago Justin Basalt CO 33 M FT 1:17:45
46 Fry Kyle Westminster CO 25 M FT 1:18:08
47 Strebe Peter Ft. Collins CO 48 M 1:18:42
48 Scroggs Lisa Highlands Ranch CO 53 F 1:18:47
49 Strzelec Cindy Fort Collins CO 38 F 1:20:33
50 Booth Darren Boulder CO 30 M FT 1:21:06
51 Spindler Christine Littleton CO 34 F 1:21:10
52 Strong Kathleen Ft. Collins CO 35 F 1:22:05
53 Duwe Brian Aurora CO 28 M 1:22:45
54 Simpson Gerald Parker CO 48 M 1:24:50
55 Vollmar Mick Broomfield CO 51 M 1:24:59
56 Yonto Carey Boulder CO 26 F FT 1:25:00
57 Bingham Andrew Denver CO 30 M 1:26:45
58 Duwe Samantha Aurora CO 26 F 1:27:12
59 Gapper David Colorado Springs CO 24 M FT 1:27:48
60 Strobel Mary Jo Centennial CO 44 F 1:28:05
61 Biggs C. Arthur Englewood CO 36 M 1:28:58
62 Pereira Michael Denver CO 30 M 1:29:03
63 Maldonado Jacque Parker CO 38 F FT 1:29:11
64 Maldonado Paul Parker CO 43 M FT 1:29:12
65 Fraser Bryan Erie CO 37 M 1:29:18
66 Cole Jeff Aurora CO 41 M 1:29:39
67 zoetewey ryan denver CO 30 M 1:29:56
68 Bachman Taylor Denver CO 32 M FT 1:34:06
69 Campbell Julie Aurora CO 31 F FT 1:34:45
70 Seemann Sue Winter Park CO 41 F 1:38:11
71 Kostner Barbara Lakewood CO 57 F 1:40:20
72 Kroneberger Aimee Winter Park CO 37 F 1:49:06
* Open Division athletes may ride whatever bike the weather dictates
* Fat Tire Division Athletes Must Ride a MTB
MALE OPEN DIV. AGE GROUP: 0 - 39
1 1 Lowe Mark 31 Wheat Ridge CO 54:50
2 2 Palmer Andy 33 Centennial CO 54:58
3 3 Krombein Brian 33 Highlands Ranch CO 57:12
4 4 Minett Everet 20 Eagle CO 1:00:39
5 7 Dillard Mark 39 Englewood CO 1:02:23
6 10 Price Chris 35 Denver CO 1:03:58
7 12 Welsh Kevin 38 Aurora CO 1:07:03
8 14 Newcomer David 34 Aurora CO 1:07:36
9 15 Sprafke Andrew 29 Lakewood CO 1:08:15
10 17 Gensler Tim 38 Greenwood Village CO 1:08:51
11 18 Smith Doug!! 39 Denver CO 1:09:20
12 19 Schimpf Peter 32 Louisville CO 1:09:27
13 21 Brooks Marcus 34 Lone Tree CO 1:09:56
14 24 Dondero Darren 35 Littleton CO 1:10:45
15 26 Ricker Timothy 29 Boulder CO 1:11:52
16 39 Hood Richard 32 Denver CO 1:15:08
FEMALE OPEN DIV. AGE GROUP: 0 - 39
1 34 Purrington Julia 30 Pine CO 1:13:24
2 41 Tebbe Jana 32 Denver CO 1:15:40
3 43 Garner Kathryn 23 Denver CO 1:17:02
4 49 Strzelec Cindy 38 Fort Collins CO 1:20:33
5 51 Spindler Christine 34 Littleton CO 1:21:10
6 52 Strong Kathleen 35 Ft. Collins CO 1:22:05
7 58 Duwe Samantha 26 Aurora CO 1:27:12
8 72 Kroneberger Aimee 37 Winter Park CO 1:49:06
MALE OPEN DIV. AGE GROUP: 40 - 49
1 25 Wasserman Michael 46 Englewood CO 1:11:18
2 28 Eves Roderick 42 Conifer CO 1:12:08
3 47 Strebe Peter 48 Ft. Collins CO 1:18:42
4 54 Simpson Gerald 48 Parker CO 1:24:50
5 66 Cole Jeff 41 Aurora CO 1:29:39
FEMALE OPEN DIV. AGE GROUP: 40 - 49
1 60 Strobel Mary Jo 44 Centennial CO 1:28:05
2 70 Seemann Sue 41 Winter Park CO 1:38:11
MALE OPEN DIV. AGE GROUP: 50 - 99
1 40 Haywood Don 57 Ft. Collins CO 1:15:22
2 55 Vollmar Mick 51 Broomfield CO 1:24:59
FEMALE OPEN DIV. AGE GROUP: 50 - 99
1 44 Ridgway Diane 56 Arvada CO 1:17:22
2 48 Scroggs Lisa 53 Highlands Ranch CO 1:18:47
3 71 Kostner Barbara 57 Lakewood CO 1:40:20
MALE FAT-TIRE AGE GROUP: 0 - 39
1 5 Campbell James 35 Aurora CO 1:01:21
2 6 Smith Neil 31 Louisville CO 1:02:13
3 8 Oliver Edward 36 Littleton CO 1:02:33
4 9 Brady Marcus 28 Littleton CO 1:03:49
5 13 Tanner Gregory 37 Denver CO 1:07:30
6 22 Cooper Matt 34 Aurora CO 1:10:18
7 27 Lamm Matt 32 Parker CO 1:11:59
8 30 Moreland Mike 37 Morrison CO 1:12:53
9 45 Savago Justin 33 Basalt CO 1:17:45
10 46 Fry Kyle 25 Westminster CO 1:18:08
11 50 Booth Darren 30 Boulder CO 1:21:06
12 59 Gapper David 24 Colorado Springs CO 1:27:48
13 68 Bachman Taylor 32 Denver CO 1:34:06
FEMALE FAT-TIRE AGE GROUP: 0 - 39
1 32 Pesa Jacqui 39 Superior CO 1:13:15
2 36 Hart Erica 20 Denver CO 1:13:55
3 56 Yonto Carey 26 Boulder CO 1:25:00
4 63 Maldonado Jacque 38 Parker CO 1:29:11
5 69 Campbell Julie 31 Aurora CO 1:34:45
MALE FAT-TIRE AGE GROUP: 40 - 49
1 11 Gavach Mark 42 Boulder CO 1:06:34
2 16 Churgovich Ray 40 Broomfield CO 1:08:28
3 20 Kelble David 48 Denver CO 1:09:42
4 64 Maldonado Paul 43 Parker CO 1:29:12
MALE FAT-TIRE AGE GROUP: 50 - 99
1 23 hart john 53 greenwood village CO 1:10:36
2 31 Thomas Paul 53 Littleton CO 1:13:09